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Drosera drummondii

D. drummondii (previously D. menziesii ssp. penicillaris) is one of four species in the menziesii complex consisting of D. basifolia, D. drummondii, D. menziesii and D. thysanosepala. It is a climbing species reaching up to 115 cm in height and the leaves may glue themselves to nearby herbs or bushes for support. The plants are often deep red to maroon in colour. This subspecies produces a few bracts at the lower part of the stem. The leaves are scattered in groups of 3 along the glabrous stem which has about the same diameter throughout its length. This feature in combination with the glandular sepals makes it easy to differentiate it from D. thysanosepala which has an extremely thin lower part of the stem and glabrous sepals.
The tubers are pink.

All D. menziesii complex species form a relatively long root when grown from seeds. It usually exceeds 1 cm in length before the first leaves open (see picture below). The stolons produced in the second half of the first growing are likewise relatively long and even tiny tubers will mostly be produced 3-5 centimetre deep in the substrate.



tubers

Tubers of D. drummondii.

 

 

seeds

seeds

Seeds of D. drummondii. One square on the paper measures 1 mm.

 

 

seedling

lower stem section

Seedling of D. drummondii. Please note the long root which usually is formed in this length prior to the first leaves. This is a behaviour common to all four species in the menziesii complex.

Lower stem section. This subspecies forms a few bracts at the lower part of the stem.

 

 

middle stem section

upper stem section

Middle section of the stem. The leaves are arranged in groups of three and the stem is glabrous throughout its length.

Upper section of the stem with inflorescence.

 

 

flower bud

flower bud

Close-ups of flower buds. The sepals glandular while the stem is glabrous. The glandular nature of the sepals is one of the features to dinstinguish D. menziesii ssp. penicillaris from D. menziesii ssp. thysanosepala

 

 


 

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